The 2014 Spark will also have a SAE combo charger for DC Fast Charging

General Motors (GM) has released some new information about its 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV, which it claims will excel in power and range.

According to GM, the 2014 Spark EV will have an oil-cooled magnet motor that is capable of 130 HP, or 100 kW. Coupled with the 400 lb.-ft. of torque, the Spark can reach 0-60 mph in under eight seconds.

“When our team set out to develop the propulsion system for Spark EV, we knew we had to provide surprising fun-to-drive acceleration with maximum efficiency,” said Spark EV Chief Engineer Chuck Russell.

“What we think customers will enjoy most is how fun Spark EV is to drive; it’s seamless and power is available at every stage of the drive. This will help us to provide an exciting option for those customers who are looking for an EV that’s as much fun to drive as it is environmentally responsible.”

Aside from power, Spark has another attractive feature: it's charging abilities. According to GM, the 2014 Spark will have a SAE combo charger for DC Fast Charging, allowing an 80 percent charge in just 20 minutes. This will certainly allow for more EV range within Spark's lithium ion battery pack, which will be over 20 kWh.

Last year, it was announced that the Spark would use a different battery pack from the Volt after an investigation was launched into the cause of a fire during NHTSA testing. Instead, it was said the Spark would use batteries built by A123 Systems. The A123 batteries are less fire prone as they use lithium phosphate chemistry. However, A123 Systems just recently filed for bankruptcy.

GM also made sure to mention that the Spark EV's motor and drive system will both be manufactured in early 2013 in the United States -- which is a first.

The weight and aerodynamics don't look all that different on this thing that the Leaf. In fact, the Spark seems to have a virtually identical chassis to the Leaf. There are probably some minor differences, but when your chassis is a clone, it's not going to be that far off.